Measuring-caddy



(No Model.)

R. I. JONES 8: A. L. AGATE, MEASURING GADDY.

No. 471,670. Patented Mar. 29-, 1892.

- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT I. JONES AND ARTHUR L. AGATE, OF ELYRIA, OHIO.

MEASURlNG-CADDY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 471,670, dated March29, 1892. Application filed March 19,1891. Serial No. 385,710- (Nomodel.)

To all whom it 11mg concern.-

Be it known that we, ROBERT I. J ONES and ARTHUR L. AGATE, citizens ofthe United States, residing at Elyria, in the county of L0- rain andState of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Measuring-Caddy, of whichthe following is a specification.

Our invention relates to improvements in measuring-caddies for grocers,used in handling cofiee, oyster-crackers, and all other articles of alike dry nature.

The objects to be attained are, first, to render the measuring-compartment of the drawer adjustable as to size or capacity by a device notbefore used, so as to deliver the exact quantity at every draft to makejust a pound or other constant quantity; second, a device for thepurpose of preventing the grains of the material being measured fromworking into and through the interstices over the edges of the drawerand causing friction and waste, as well as litter; third, an automaticdischarge-spout so rounded at the bottom in the form of an ordinaryscoop as to enable the operator to draw any number of pounds into a sackwithout the use of any intermediate device, such as a funnel-shapedhopper, as heretofore used. We attain these objects by the mechanismillustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is avertical section in dotted line 1 1, Fig. 3. Fig. 2 is a verticalsection in dotted line 1 1, Fig. 3, with the upper portion broken awayand the drawer drawn out in act of discharging its contents. Fig.3 is ahorizontal section in 2 2, Fig. 1, the drawer removed. Fig. 4 is atransverse vertical section in dotted line a: 00, Fig. 3, having thecase broken away, showing the drawer and parts sustaining it. Fig. 5 isa perspective view of the automatic spout. Figs. 6, 7, 8, and 9 aredetached views of the graduating device used for regulating the quantitybeing discharged.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

The case A of the caddy is made in the form illustrated in Figs. 1 and3, having a hoppershaped bottom 0, for the purpose of promoting thedischarge of the contents through the aperture a. Immediately below thisaperture a drawerD is supported in position by means of ways 1), uponwhich it moves freely. (See Fig. 4.)

OompartmentB in drawer D, exactly under aperture (1, when said drawer isshoved in, forms a receptacle for the material being measured.

0 represents a solid wall of said compartment, which extends across thedrawer and about half-way down, so that when the drawer is in position(see Fig. 1) the edge of the aperture a coincides with said wall 0, asseen at cl. At the lower edge of said wall 0 is hinged an automaticscoop-shaped spout e, the outer end of which rests on board f, by whichit. is supported in a horizontal position, as seen in Fig. 1. This spoutforms a bottom for the compartment; but when the drawer D is drawn outthe spout gravitates to the position seen in Fig. 2 and discharges themeasured contents of the compartment into a sack or other receptacle. I

9 represents an adjustable plate hinged at its upper edge to anadjustable decking 0, as seen at h, Figs. 1 and 9, so as to form thefront wall of the compartment B. This plate at the lower edge is cut ona circle, as seen, Fig. 6, so as to conform to the inside of the spout.This plate is held rigidly in position by means of an adjusting device,which consists ofnut c', traversing on thumb-screw j. Said nut isconnected to the plate 9 by means of a spring connecting-wire k, whichpasses through one corner of the nut or through an ear formed thereon,and the ends pass through holes formed in suitable ears lon the plate g.Said screw j passes through and is fixed in the knob of the drawer, andis there so secured.

that it cannot move longitudinally. When this screw is revolved, the nuttraverses back and forth and in so doing adjusts the plate 9 either outor in, as desired, thereby increasing or diminishing the capacity of,the compartment B.

m represents a decking that covers the rear end of the drawer, extendingbackward from the wall a, and is flush with the upper side of thedrawer, and serves as a cut-off and retaining-support to the material inthe case above, while the charge in the compartment below is beingcarried forward and delivered. Decking 0, to which plate 9 is hinged andwhich porting-cleats by means of screws, so that it may be movedhorizontally out orin by withdrawing the screws for the purpose ofincreasing or diminishing the capacity of the compartment B toaccommodate the various classes of either light or heavy material, whilethe adjustment of the plate 9 answers to meet the difference in weightof different specimens of material of the same class.

it represents a strip of rubber packing, which is placed as seen in thethe drawings and serves to strike off the material being measured whendrawn under it, and also serves to prevent the crushing of brittlematerial, like oyster-crackers, when the drawer is drawn out under saidstrip.

n represents another rubber strip secu red, as seen in the drawings, tothe back side of aperture a in such a position that it will sweep thedecking m while passing under it.

8 represents strips, which are secured in the case directly over theedges of the drawer, and each is provided with a lip 25, which shutsdown over the inside edges of the sides of the drawer and into groovesformed in the deck ing of the drawer, for the purpose of preventingsmall particles of grain--such as rice, oatmeal, and many othercommoditiesfrom working into and through the space above the drawer,which in practice is very important. 1" represents a pin, which isinserted in the side of the drawer to stop the drawer at the rightpoint.

The operation of this apparatus is as follows: Coffee or other materialconsisting of dry grains or oyster-crackers is put into the case, whichin practice is made large enough to hold a barrel or sack of coffee.Acharge is drawn out into the scale-pan and is weighed. If found toolight or heavy, the plate g is adj usted either out or in by means ofthe screw until the charge drawn out will weigh exactly a pound. N 0 twosacks of coffee or other material will when the bulk is equal weighexactly the same, hence the necessity fora rigid and perfect adjustment.Then it becomes desirable the change from. one kind of ma terial toanother, either lighter or heavier, the adjustment obtainable by meansof the screw-and-nut device will not always prove sufficient. Thereforethe adjustment must be accomplished by moving the decking 0 either outor in to make the desired difference. By doing this the plate g is alsocarried out or in with the decking to which it is hinged.

What we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is l Thecombination, in measuring-caddies, of a drawer D, supported and slidingon ways I) and having a scoop-shaped automatic spout ve, the adjustableplate g, hinged to adjustable deck 0 and operated by nut 'i, traversingover thumb-screw j, running through and being secured in stationaryknob, the board f for supporting and operating the spout e, the lippedstrips 8, the rubber strike 11,, and the rubber strip a for sweeping thedecking m, the whole being arranged, constructed, and operating in themanner and for the purpose specified.

ROBERT I. JONES. ARTHUR L. AGATE. Attest: p

A. J. THAYER, L. W. MANVILLE.

